Finally added fish!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
E

EastBay

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jun 10, 2010
346
1
16
SF East Bay
After about 6 weeks of cleaning old tank, setting it up and cycling it, I finally added my first fishes to my 5-foot, 90g tank this past Saturday (July 3).

1- JD
1- Texas (cyno, may have to eventually trade in if/when it gets too big)
1- turquoise severum
1 - firemouth

The JD is about 2-3 inches and is already showing signs of trying to run the tank. He's taken runs at everyone, but it seems he gets most upset when anyone swims near his home. I'll keep my eye on him.

The Texas is a little bit smaller. He's taken some runs at the severum, but for the most part, has been pretty chill. I've read they can be wimpy when small and then go crazy around 5-6 inches (?). Again, one to keep an eye on.

I'm really taking a liking to the severum, which is about 1.5-2.5 inches. The JD and Tex have taken runs at him, but once he gets out of the way, he goes right back to what he was doing. Doesn't appear to be intimidated at all.

The firemouth is the biggest one introduced, maybe 3.5-4 inches. I got him the biggest because I figured he might have a tough time with the other if he was too small, so I figured get him the biggest so maybe the others will think twice about going after him.

My one concern about the FM, however, is that it hasn't eaten, as far as I can tell, since Saturday. Also, it looks like he's having a hard time breathing -- rapid gill movement and an almost open-mouth gasping. Is this normal? The three others are all behaving fine. Water parameters are: Am 0, Trite 0, Trate less than 20.

I would take pictures but I have yet to figure out the best settings on my point and shoot! :irked:
 
nice! yeah i you are def overstocked once they are all grown but thats fine i would just grow them out a bit and then thin out the stock a bit once you can see their personalities a bit more and know which ones you like better or seem to be getting along better. and yeah the tex will def rule the tank once he gets bigger, though the JD may give him a run for his money until he outgrows him lol. as for the firemouth, he may just still be adjusting, but the others could also be bullying him into not getting any food, also have you seen him poo? is it possible he may have parasites?
 
Nice man. Is there enough oxygen in the water? That will cause labored breathing. Keep an eye for an infection or anything abnormal with the gills.
You will definatly need to keep your eye on the sev and tex too. My cyano can get a little brutal and chasey to fish that dont fish back. Your sev may end up hiding at the top all the time.
With adequate filtration your not overstocked. I did have 4 in my 90, now 3, gt was too many problems. But post some pics or a vid.
If the Meeki wont eat bloodworms then you will know its internal
 
Every FM i have ever owned went through this also. It might be your substrate i found out thats what it was for me. They like to sift sand if you have gravel they end up getting pieces stuck in their mouth which in turn seems to cause internal infections due to the stress. Also they can get stressed out even if the aggressive fish don't touch them. They have like sympathy stress or something. Or maybe its just the sight of a really active fish stresses them out i don't know exactly.
 
Fishing out, I'm pretty sure the o2 levels are fine as none of the other 3 are exhibiting any kind of labored breathing. It's just the FM.

The sev may not be fighting back but like I said, does not seem afraid of the others. It calmly swims away when the JD chases it. But once the chase is over, the sev just goes back to chillin, not hiding or anything.
So far it seems the JD is most ornery when he's hungry. I bought the floating cichlid pellets, but he fish haven't figured out they float. For the last few days, been feeding spirulina flakes.
Haven't noticed if FM has pooped. Everything seems fine with FM, other than apparent rapid breathing and the lack of eating (other than that, everythings fine ;))
 
Parachromis, I do have small pea gravel. I've heard fish getting pebbles stuck in their mouthes, but I've always used gravel and never had a problem. I have looked in the FM mouth and don't see any stuck pebbles, but that is how much his mouth tapes, wide enough to look inside.
I'll keep my eye on it. I'm hoping it's just taking longer for the FM to adjust to new surroundings. The FM was actually a trade in from a few weeks ago, so maybe it's just super stressed going thru 3 different adjustment periods within a month.
 
I was also wondering if I should add a school of barbs as target/diggers to maybe prevent any one of the "show" fish from being picked on/killed?
 
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